God is merciful and full of grace; we say this repetitively, but do we say it because we believe it to be true, or because as sinners we desperately need to believe He is? We depend on God’s mercy every day, and since we can’t save ourselves, we need His grace. Yet, simply believing these things doesn’t make them so, but as we witness His behavior, and read His Word, we come to know it is indeed the truth.
Do we think that we are spiritually wealthy? Do we think that we have succeeded in our faith to the point where we are not only righteous, but perhaps we feel that we are on the verge of becoming holy? If our chests are puffed up in our spiritual walk, and we feel that all our blessings are well deserved, then at our best, we are only on the cusp of faith, and are worshipping ourselves.
We are told in scripture that we will be transformed, or become a new creature in Christ, but What does this process look like? Are we transformed instantly in the twinkling of an eye, spend our lives suffering through lesson after lesson, or dance our way before God into a new life?
How do we envision God to be? If we are asked to describe who God is, do we begin by saying He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, mighty, wise, or do we begin by saying that He is love? What makes God worthy of praise and worship in your eyes?
Who do we call on in times of trouble? Where do we turn when all seems lost, and we are wandering blindly in our lives? We each have fallback plans that we engage when we can’t solve our own problems. We might not even realize we do this, but it is true. Some people call their friends for help, others go home, and some seek help from professionals such as doctors, psychologists, bankers, lawyers, or such, but all of us have some safety net we depend on... where does God fit into your list of those you turn to?
God is with us always, yet we don’t always admit that fact to ourselves. We know this to be true, and yet continue to pretend He is gone, and sin in His imagined absence. We read scripture regarding this fact as if it were preventative medicine, but it is also a cup of wedding wine served to heighten the celebration of our spirits. The joys we feel during secret acts of faith, the prayers that we offer without speaking, the sweet release of forgiveness, and the quiet tears we are moved to share while observing His miracles, are all witnessed by the great I Am. God hears the increased beat of our heart, and our nervous breathIng as He approaches... He sees in us our thrill in Him that no others are meant to know.
God speaks to us, and asks us to do something, but at that particular moment it is inconvenient for us, so we say “I will do it tomorrow Lord”, and we go about our business, however, when we are faced with a trial in our own lives we pray for His relief, and expect Him to answer immediately. Does this sound familiar? So often we hold God to a standard of immediacy that we ourselves would never agree to, and yet we treat the God of all creation as though he was our personal servant; sent to do our bidding. Why is it that we lose faith, or become angry with God when in our minds He is slow to act? In fact, is that really true?
Faith in God, and Jesus Christ will never end, because like Themselves, faith is eternal, and man, who worships Them, has been drawn in all times and ages to his embedded faith in God... from before he knew how to write, he has praised God, and will be praising Him for all eternity. The Holy Word of God transcends time, and generations; it was not given, and written, for one moment, nor a single people, but for all mankind, and every generation; it exists for all believers... those who were, and are, and will be to come.
We each have purposes that we have established for our lives, and as we go through our days we discover and grasp hold of them. Some have been given to us by the world, some by our families, others we have established for ourselves, but none can compare with the purpose that God lays before us when we search out His will and answer His call. Today we will dedicate our time to one or more of these, but which will we allot our time to, and is it the most precious one... the one that above all others we must finish; that must be fulfilled in our lifetime?
Are there those among us who seek a place of power and leadership in the Church as a means of acquiring glory? They may be the wealthy who donate their money, or the poor their time, each meant to achieve personal recognition and honor for themselves, or the scholars who teach outside the Word to elevate themselves. How do we discern those who step between God, and His children? Can we identify the wolves who falsely claim His calling, or those who were once rightfully called but have now been spoiled by their association with the world?
We can’t see the wind, and yet we feel it all around us, and see the sand it carries when it is strengthened. We see the mountains moved, and the trees uprooted when storm winds are angered, and we feel the cool evening breeze as our skin rises to meet it after a long hot day is forgotten. The breath of our God is like this, and though we don’t see Him with our eyes, we feel Him with our heart, and our soul. Our spirit is refreshed by His constant presence. He is always with us, always surrounding us, and never are we without Him. Even when He is perfectly still, and we can’t feel Him... we breathe Him in, and He sustains us.
His disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray as He did, and David sang in prayer that God would teach him His paths. Are we satisfied with the speed at which we are progressing spiritually? Are we inclined to sit patiently waiting for instruction without expressing our desire for more? There is a difference between trusting that the Lord will lead us in understanding, and being indifferent about it. Both David and the disciples wanted more, and they asked for as much... we should ask as well.
Our hardest, and most painful lessons in life are generally the ones that change us most completely, and can remake us at a very basic level. It is easy to teach someone how to do a certain thing, like to make up their bed when they get out of it, or brush their teeth each day, but to teach them to be a different person... not be afraid of heights, or to love God more intensely, requires a much deeper experience, and that often involves suffering, and affliction.
Do we keep the Word of the Lord fresh in our minds? Do we remember what He has commanded us to do so that we will not fall into sin? It is so easy to walk rather innocently into a sinful situation if we follow after our own whims, or lean on our own understanding. In order that we remain on the path of righteousness we must have A roadmap, or directions for our journey, and remember which way to turn when we encounter various crossroads. Do we diligently study the map of faith?
How secure is the foundation of our faith? Did we profess Jesus Christ to be our Lord in order to gain eternal life? Did we become acquainted with Him in our quest for a miracle, or life while neglectIng to establish a true relationship with Him? Do we recognize His face without knowing His heart, or dining at His table? Do we want to become His bride without knowing Him as the groom?